Steel house construction



Jan. 5, 1943. R. w. GREEN ET AL v STEEL HOUSE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 31, 1940 3.Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

R. W. GREEN ET AL STEEL HOUSE CONSTRUCTION Jan. 5, 1943.

Filed Dec. 31. 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6055B? W 6655M Jan. 5, 1943. R. w. GREEN ET AL STEEL HOUSE CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 31, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 17606 1160716:- 05597 IX 6655M at... Jan. s, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.301.126 T sram. noose consraucrron,

Robert W. Green and John B. Kasten, Birming ham, and Frank L. Kneisley, Fairfield, Ala;

Application The present invention relates to details of construction of structural members such as those used in the erection of prefabricated metal houses.

One object of the invention is to provide structural members so constructed and arranged that field erection will be simplified.

Another object is to form the parts so as. to.

facilitate shipping by constructing them in such a manner that they can be readily knocked down and shipped in small pieces instead of being shipped assembled as heretofore.

A further object is to form the main structural frame elements from fiat plate or strip stock, which is easily and cheaply produced on conventional rolling mills, and which can be bent to shape and subjected to simple forming and punching operations so as to thus provide effective yet inexpensive members.

An additional object is to provide a clip producible from sheet metal stock bent to shape and formed with a hook-like supporting memberengaging portion and with wall panel-engaging flanges and locking wings which serve to lock the clip in assembled relation with a flanged support.

The above and other features of the invention, which are defined with particularity in the appended claims, will be fully apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the essential frame elements of a prefabricated house embodying our invention, with the roofing sheets and sidin omitted.

Figure 2 is a section on line II-II of Figure 1,

a with the roofing sheets shown in dotted lines and the siding indicated somewhat diagrammatically because of the small scale.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating the roof peak strut and rafters connected therewith.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail illustrating the connection of the rafters, eave strut and ceiling joist, and also showing the latter connected to an upright stud Figure 5 is a detail horizontal section illustrating the construction of a corner post and showing the adjacent cross members connected therewith.

Ftgure 6 is an enlarged horizontal section through an upright stud, showing the same connected with adjacent cross members and also illustrating the mannerof securing metal siding to the cross members by the clip forming one of the features of the invention.

December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,612 1 Claims. ,(Cl. 189-1) Figure "I is a vertical section on line VII-VII of Figure. 6. I

Figure 8 is a view similanto a portion of Figure 6 but showing the clip in combination with a pair of rabbeted wall panels.

Figure 9 is a view similarto Figure 8 but show- 'ing the clip holding plain or unrabbeted wall panels.

Figure 10 is a perspective detail view of the improved clip of the present invention, illustrating the position occupied by the locking wings thereof prior to final assembly.

Figure 11 is a similar view but illustrating the position of the" locking wings afterassembly.

Referring in detail to the drawings, Ill represents any suitable foundation'to which is secured in any suitable manner a plurality of upright studs l2 and corner posts indicated as awhole at IS. The studs support overhead ceiling joists it which may be secured by means of angle connectors I8 attached by bolts 20. Eave struts indicated as a whole at 22 are secured by bolts 24. These are'connected, in a novel. manner to be hereinafter described, with the roof rafters 26 whose upper ends are secured also in a similar novel manner to be described later,'to a.peakstrut indicated as a whole at 28. I I The peak and eave struts and the corner pos all have protrusions or inwardly-extending beads formed thereon at points where connections are to be made, and the connecting members such as the rafters and cross members have corresponding holes. In the erection of the various parts, the member with the holes is forced between the flanges of the member with the beads, and thus the beads are forced into the holes by the inherent spring action of the steel. Thus a tight and secure connection ismade. This characteristic is common to the various members.

For example, each stud, as best shown in Figure 6,

comprises two channel-shaped members M and it, arranged back to back and preferably welded together. Each ofthese channel members is provided with parallel flanges 30-80, formed with inwardly-extending protrusions 32-32, which make'a snug fit with the hole or apertured portion 34- 34 formed in the flange of a channel-shaped cross member 38. The webs ilk-I4 of the studs it are preferably spot welded to one another.

The corner post, as best shown in Figure 5, in-

cludes diagonal web portions l5" and I5 which are preferably spot welded to one another. Each corner post includes a pair of substantially parallel flanges 38-" having inwardly extended protrusions Ill formed therein which engage holes or 'apertured portions 42 formed in adjacent cross members as shown.

The cave strut, as best shown in Figure 4, in-

cludes a pair of parallel flanges 44-44 which are shown in Figure 3, whose parallel flanges 54 are connected by web portions 56 disposed diagonally thereto, the adjacent web portions 56 of the identical chamber members being welded together to form the unitary peak strut.

With the main parts of the framing structure constructed and arranged as above described, it will be apparent that the essential frame elements for the side walls and the roof may be quickly and easily erected in the field merely by springing the parallel flanges of the members having the protrusions thereon over the flanges of the members with the apertures, whereupon the flanges of each will yield slightly and will then spring snugly into final assembly position whenthe protrusions are brought into proper registry with the holes or apertured portions.

After the frame members and cross members are erected, the siding and roofing can be readily secured thereto by means of the improved clip, as illustrated in Figures 6 to 11 inclusive. Referring to these figures, in Figure 6 we have shown a conventional form of sheet metal siding indicated generally at 60 having a conventional corrugation or so-called box rib 62. Bridging the box rib 62 there is a strap 64 the extremities 66 of which are welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent body portion of the sheet. The clip, as best shown in Figures and 11, includes parallel web portions 68 and 10, which are joined by a bridge portion 12. Near the lower end of the clip, the webs 68 and 10 are cut away along converging lines 14 and 78, so as to form a wedgeshaped notch 80 which thus provides a hook portion indicated generally at .82.

The lower extremities of the web portions 68 and 10 are bent at an angle approximately perpendicular thereto, so as to form the looking or retaining wings 84 and 86. These wings are in the position of Figure 10 during the time the siding is being assembled. But after the hook portion 82 of a given clip has been engaged over the flange of a supporting member, the wings 84 and 86 are then bent inwardly in the direction of the arrows in Figure 10, so that they come to the position indicated in Figures 7 and 11, where it will be noted that the wings engage the under side of the web portion of the channel-shaped supporting member over which the clip is hooked. Because of the converging relationship of the notch edges 14 and 18 of the clip, it will be apparent that in the assembled position the clip wedgingly presses the strap 64 against the flange of the adjacent channel-shaped supporting member as indicated in Figure 7. At the same time, the wings, having been bent to the position of Figures 7 and 11, wedgingly lock the clip to the supporting member.

The wedging interlock between the clip and the cross member is facilitated by the angular disposition of the upper edges 84 and 86 of the wings. The web portions 68 and 10 are formed at their outer extremities with flanges 88 and 98. The function of these flanges is to adapt the clip for use in securing wall panels to the cross members. As shown in Figure 8, adjacent wall panels 92 and 94 are rabbeted to provide groove portions 92" and 94, to receive a sheet metal spline member 96. This spline mer-lber is formed with opposed groves to receive the flanges 88 and 90 of the clip. It will be understood that in assembling the clip with the wall panels, the webs 68 and 10 may be sprung toward one another to permit insertion and then released so that the flanges 88 and 90 spring -to the assembled position shown in Figure 8. The panel is then secured by engaging the hook portion of the clip with the flange of the adjacent supporting member as shown.

Figure 9 shows another application of the clip wherein the spline member 96, instead of being seated in grooves formed in the wall board, merely overlaps the adjacent edge portions of the juxtaposed panels 92 and 94'.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the clip can be used interchangeably for securing either wall board, as in Figures 8 and 9, or metal siding, as in Figure 6. The same clip can also be utilized for securing roofing sheets, in which case the hook members 82 will engage the top flanges of roof-supporting members or purlins 98, indicated in Figure 3. It will be understood that the rooflng sheets will have corrugations bridged by straps 64 substantially the same as indicated in Figure 6, and that thus the same type of connection will be effected by the elip for both roof and siding sheets.

While we have described quite precisely the exact details of the structures herein illustrated, it is to be understood that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the invention as defined in-the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Prefabricated house construction comprising a sheet metal comer post comprising a pair of uprights each having parallel resilient flanges and oblique webs which are assembled back to back and secured to one another, said flanges each having a protrusion formed therein, and members sprung between and nested with said flanges and having apertures for interengagement with said protrusions whereby said members are secured to said corner post without bolts.

2. Prefabricated house construction comprising a sheet metal corner post comprising a pair of uprights each having parallel resilient flanges and oblique webs which are assembled back to back and secured to one another, said flanges each having a protrusion pressed inwardly therefrom, and channel members the ends of which are sprung to position and fit snugly between said flanges and which have apertures formed therein for interengagement with said protrusions whereby said members are secured to said post without bolts. 4

3. A prefabricated house construction comprising a sheet metal element having parallel flanges resiliently connected by an oblique web, said flanges having inwardly deformed protrusions formed therein and a rafter sprung in snugly between said flanges and having apertured portions interfltted with said protrusions whereby gailcti parts are held in assembled relation without 4. A prefabricated house construction compris ing a sheet metal element having parallel flanges resiliently connected by an oblique web, said flanges having inwardly deformed protrusions formed therein and a channel-shaped sheet metal rafter sprung in snugly between said flanges, the rafter flanges being apertured for interlocking engagement with said protrusions whereby said parts are joined without bolts.

5. A prefabricated house construction comprising a sheet metal eave strut having parallel flange resiliently connected by an oblique web, said flanges having inwardly deformed protrusions formed therein and a rafter sprung in snugly between said flanges and having apertured portions interfltted with said protrusions whereby said parts are joined impositively without bolts.

6. A prefabricated house construction comprising a sheet metal peak strut comprising a pair of members each having a pair of parallel flanges resiliently connected by an oblique web, said oblique webs being joined together back to back, said flanges having protrusions formed therein and respective rafters whose ends are sprung in between the respective flanges of said members of the strut, the rafters having apertured portions which interfit with said protrusions whereby said parts are joined without bolts.

'7. A prefabricated house construction comprising upright sheet metal studs each consisting of two members of channel form with their webs united and having yieldable flanges extending in opposite directions, said flanges each having an inwardly extended protrusion formed therein and cross members'whose ends are sprung in between the yieldable flanges of adjacent studs, said cross members having apertured portions which are interlocked with protrusions of said stud flanges whereby said parts are joined without bolts.

ROBERT W. GREEN.

JOHN B. KASTEN.

FRANK L. KNEISLEY. 

